The present invention relates to a device for converting solar radiation into electric power.
Currently, the utilization of alternative energies, such as wind power and solar energy, has become increasingly important.
In particular, over the last decades the technology related to the conversion of solar radiation into electric power has been improving; currently this conversion is commonly performed by using photovoltaic cells of a known type, such as monocrystalline or polycrystalline cells.
The photovoltaic cells are arranged in succession one next to the other, so as to form a so-called photovoltaic panel or module.
Known kinds of device for converting solar radiation into electric power are usually constituted by a square or rectangular photovoltaic module that is arranged on the roof of a building and is connected to a separate device for converting direct current to alternating current, commonly known as an inverter.
The inverter can be arranged to the side of the photovoltaic module or, preferably, can be installed inside the home, sheltered from atmospheric agents and any damage.
The main disadvantage of this constructive solution is that, quite often, installation of the photovoltaic modules or panels on the roofs of buildings cannot be performed in a manner that provides the best conditions of performance.
This occurs often, and is due to the fact that the available surfaces have a preset orientation, which is often considerably different from the optimum orientation determined by the geographical position of the home and by the mean path of the sun across the sky.
This drawback entails a net loss of the quantity of irradiation, which leads to a reduced yield of the device.
Since the cost of the known types of device for converting solar radiation into electric power is currently still rather high and entails very long plant amortization times, a sharp loss in performance, possibly as high as 50%, leads to a drastic increase in amortization times or worse still to the choice not to purchase this kind of device.
Another drawback of known types of device relates to the fact that at certain times of day the roof of the building can be covered by shadows cast by taller nearby buildings, and this also causes a loss of performance.
Buildings which comprise photovoltaic modules embedded directly in the walls have recently been built.
The drawbacks of this solution are the same ones noted above, since by being arranged generally vertically their orientation is in any case not the optimum one and the possibility of being covered by shadows is even greater because of the fact that they are at a lower height from the ground.
In order to achieve optimum orientation and therefore optimum yield, it is known to provide a known type of device for converting solar radiation into electric power by installing photovoltaic modules at ground level.
To obtain the intended inclination with respect to the ground, these photovoltaic modules are associated with a support for connection to the ground or for resting thereon.
One drawback of this constructive solution consists of the fact that said panels or modules, which necessarily have a large surface of exposure to the sun, constitute a considerable bulk and space occupation at the ground where they are located.
Another drawback is the fact that they are even more subject to be covered by shadows cast by trees or other buildings, since they are located almost at ground level.
Another problem of these known types is the fact that they can be accessed easily by anyone, and this can entail a risk due to their possible damage or even their theft.